Students at a Bromsgrove secondary school are getting ready to swap the classroom for real world experience, with the launch of an employer-backed scheme designed to revolutionise the future of engineering in the UK.
North Bromsgrove High School in partnership with the Birmingham-based multi-disciplinary engineering solutions company, adi Group, has unveiled a pre-apprenticeship qualification for 14-16 year olds which will take in its first contingent of twelve students in September 2016.
Aimed at those students who are potentially looking toward a hands-on engineering career, the pre-apprenticeship qualification will offer practical experience and employability skills. Occupying 10 per cent of their overall GCSE curriculum time, the students will spend half a day per week in a live workshop at adis headquarters in Kings Norton.
The pre-apprenticeship is the first of its kind in the UK, and will help to close the skills gap by introducing and inspiring young people to the exciting opportunities offered by the engineering sector.
The adi Group first forged ties with the school through the Business in the Community (BITC) Business Class programme which helps to create mutually beneficial school-business partnerships. Business Class is a flagship programme for BITC, with its overall vision being to help prevent social background predicting a young person's success at school and beyond.
Over the last three years, adi has supported North Bromsgrove students in exploring their options and promoting engineering as an exciting and rewarding career path. The partnership has also been recognised as a primary example of best practice by the CBI West Midlands.
Dave Hadley-Pryce, Headmaster of North Bromsgrove High School, said:
We have put together this new qualification as part of our efforts to respond to a growing need in education to prepare students for the broad spectrum of career opportunities available to them after they leave school.
We have a strong bond with adi after having worked with them for the last three years, and have found a great deal of synergy in terms of the vision we both have that a hands-on career in engineering is a valuable and rewarding path to take.
Alan Lusty, CEO of adi Group, said:
The UK is known for its world class engineering, and were committed to inspiring the next generation of hands-on engineers in order to help address the skills gap.
Whats more, we believe our pre-apprenticeship qualification is creating a comprehensive model which other schools, employers and members of BITC will be able to replicate. Our hope is that in due course, similar qualifications will be implemented across the country, raising youth interest in engineering throughout the UK.
Were excited to be launching this new initiative with North Bromsgrove High School, and improving access to and awareness of engineering as a lifelong career.